stephblair's reviews
676 reviews

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

3.0

Overall I did enjoy the story and the character development, but I really would have liked more world building. I have way too many questions about the setting

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was such a fun time the whole way through! For such a long book I’d say that’s a great feat 

The Velocipede Races by Emily June Street

adventurous hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge

4.0

Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book was wild. And I don’t really know how to review it because I have a lot of thoughts. It’s pretty dark and twisty (and twistED) which I did actually like. 

But my issue is that there was some plot stuff that just suddenly happened. I can’t go into details because of spoilers but some of these things lacked the right amount of emotional buildup for me to be completely effective. But maybe that’s just me

Anyway, I really am excited to see where things go from here because the last 50 pages?? BONKERS 

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves by Meg Long

adventurous emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I just really loved this. I was stressed the whole time, but I loved it

The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Hollow Heart by Marie Rutkoski

3.0

I’m not really sure what this was. Two completely separate plots were happening the entire time and

half of the book was about Kestrel and Arin (from the winners trilogy) and their epic legendary love. It was weirdly heavy handed and I’m not sure what the point was? Just write a novella about them instead of inserting them so heavily into something they didn’t need to be in

.  I didn’t feel satisfied with the ending because it was so rushed. 

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Mental illness, and Blood

Minor: Alcoholism and Abortion

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This author has clearly never listened to or understood anything a woman has ever said and he doesn’t deserve women friends. Such bad writing